Domestic applaince



Aug. 9, 1966 F. E. LA FLAME 3,265,311

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 50, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l l I W 4.?

y 5g INVENTOR.

Frank 5. ZaF/ame 1 +2 yam ANS ATTOR/Vk' Aug. 9, 1966 F. E. LA FLAME3,265,311

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 30, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 vs T if IN N OR-Frank 5 Aaf/ome ms ATTORNEY g- 9, 1966 v F. E. LA FLAME, 3,265,311

INVENTOR flank Z". Za/Zame yam A)! A TY'ORNEY Aug. 9 1966 F, E. LA FLAME3,265,311

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE .Filed Jan. 50. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

flank f: [aF/ame fiCm . His ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,265,311DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Frank E. La Flame, Dayton, Gliio, assignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed .Ian.30, 1964, Ser. No. 341,209 4 Claims. (til. 239-251) This inventionrelates to domestic appliances and more particularly to dishwashingapparatus.

In many dishwasher arrangements it is desirable to use a plural pumparrangement wherein each of the pumps is concurrently driven 'by areversible motor to alternately circulate fluid within a washingcontainer and drain fluid therefrom upon opposite rotation of the motorto thereby effect a desired cleaning of articles supported within thewashing compartment.

One problem in dishwashers having such a pump arrangement is that ofsmoothly directing fluid flow into the inlets of the pumps and,furthermore, of preventing the pumps from interfering with the operationof one another where they are operatively arranged to alternatelywithdraw fluid from a sump portion of the washing compartment whilebeing continuously driven by the motor means.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve a pluralunit pump arrangement for a dishwasher or the like by the provision of afluid flow diverter for directing fluid from a common level in a sump asa smooth stream into the inlets of each of the plurality of pumps.

A further object of the invention is to improve dishwashing apparatusincluding a plurality of pumps for effecting fluid distribution thereinduring different phases of the operation thereof by the provision of acommon unitary fluid flow diverter for smoothly directing fluid to theinlets of each of the plurality of pump means with the unitary diverterserving to substantially prevent each of the pump from being affected bythe operational characteristics of the other pumps.

A still further object of the invention is to improve a plural pumpmechanism for association with a dishwashing apparatus or the likeincluding a reversible motor means, a first continuously driven pump forpumping fluid from a sump portion of the apparatus to a washing fluiddistributing portion thereof on one direction of motor rotation and asecond continuously driven pump for pumping fluid from the sump to adrain located exteriorly of the apparatus upon another direction ofmotor rotation, by the provision of a diverter element locatedintermediate the first and second pumps to direct fluid into the inletof each of the pumps from a common level in the sump with the diverterelement including means thereon for straightening flow into the inletsof the pump and means for isolating reverse fluid flow through the firstpump from the inlet to the second pump during periods in which thesecond pump is drawing fluid from the sump.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view partially broken away of adishwashing arrangement including the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 33 ofFIGURE 2;

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FIGURE 4 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 44 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 55 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a top elevational view of the fluid diverter of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom elevational view of the diverter of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 8-8 ofFIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 9-9 ofFIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 a dishwashing apparatus 10 isillustrated including an outer cabinet 12 having a front opening thereinclosed by a downwardly swinging door 14 for providing access into theinterior thereof. The cabinet 12 has a bulkhead 16 located therein forseparating it into an upper washing compartment 18 and a lower machinerycompartment 20. The central portion of the bulkhead 16 is recessed toform a sump 22 for collecting fluid from the Washing compartment 18. Inthe illustrated arrangement, the bottom-most portion of the sump 22 isformed by a support plate 24 for locating a plural pump apparatus 26within the washing compartment 18 and the lower machinery compartment20. The plural pump assembly 26 is conditioned by means of a timermechanism 28 on a top control panel across the rear of the cabinet 12 tocirculate fluid from the sump 22 through a rotary fluid distributing arm30 or other suitable distributing means against articles supported onsuitable racks (not shown) within the washing compartment 18 during apredetermined washing cycle and is also conditioned thereby during adesired operative cycle to drain the sump 22 exteriorly of the washingcompartment 18 and cabinet 12 through a drain conduit 32.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, a peripheral flange 33 on the supportingplate 24 is supported within a continuous channel-shaped annular sealelement 34 supported in turn on a radially inwardly turned edge 36 ofthe bulkhead 16. A first pump 38 of the plural pumping assembly 26 islocated within sump 22 above the plate 24 and a second pump 40 of theassembly 26 is located at a point below the supporting plate 24 withinthe machinery compartment 20. The pump 40 more particularly include anouter casing formed by a downwardly bulged portion 42 in the supportplate 24 which in turn defines a convolutely-shaped pumping chamber 44opened to the washing compartment side of the support plate 24. Apassageway 46 formed radially outwardly through the support plate 24communicates the pumping chamber 44 within the looped drain conduit 32and serves as an outlet from pump 40. The pumping chamber 44 andpassageway 46 are closed by a cover plate 48 supported on the uppersurface of the support plate 24 and secured thereto by suitable meansincluding screws 50. An opening 52 located centrally of plate 48 isaligned with the convolute pumping chamber 44 to serve as the inletopening thereto.

Above the cover plate 48 is located a tubular housing 54 of the pump 38having a lower open end and an upper open end serving as the inlet andoutlet, respectively, to an axially elongated cylindrical pumpingchamber formed therethrough. On the bottom edge of the tubular housing54 a flange 57 extends in a radially outward direction with the flangeincluding groups of circumferentially spaced fingers 64 dependingtherefrom to a point adjacent the lower surface of the sump 22 which isdefined in par-t by the cover plate 48 and in part by plate 24. Suitableweep holes 55 extend through flange 57 to drain the upper surfacethereof.

-In the illustrated embodiment the housing 54 further includes a smalldiameter extension 58 on the outlet end thereof supporting a dependingcentral hub 59 of rotary fluid distributing arm 30 for rotation relativethereto. A stud element 60 fastened at one end thereof in a hub 61located centrally of the cylindrical pumping chamber 56 by a pluralityof flow straightening vanes 62 is directed through the arm 30 intothreaded engagement with a nut 63 for holding the arm on housing 54.

In accordance with certain of the principles of the present invention anovel flow diverter element 66 is supported within the washingcompartment 18 above the upper surface of the supporting plate 24intermediate the tubular housing 54 and the cover plate 48. A pluralityof circumferentially located upper bearing surfaces 68 on diverter 66engage the underside of the flange 57 of the tubular housing 54 atcircumferentially spaced points thereon for support thereof and it anddiverter 66 are secured at these points to support plate 24 by means ofelongated studs 69 directed through flange 57, diverter 66 and coverplate 48 into threaded engagement with internally threaded hub portions72 formed on the underside of support plate 24.

The diverter element 66 is constructed and arranged to assure improvedfluid flow patterns into the inlets of the pumps 38, 40 and further actsto fluidly isolate the inlets of these pumps from one another duringpumping. More particularly, in order to carry out these functions,diverter 66 includes a plurality of circumferentially lo cated radiallyoutwardly directed portions 70 each including spaced, radially inwardlyconverging side wall portions 72, 74 forming an inverted channelway ortunnel 76 that communicates at one end thereof with a lower level of thesump 22 and at the opposite end thereof with the inlet'opening 52 to theconvolutely-shaped pumping chamber44. Each radially outwardly directedportion 70 at the inlet thereof also includes a plurality of pins 80depending from the upper surface thereof between walls 72, 74 into thevicinity of the upper surface of the support plate 24 for strainingfluid flowing from the sump 22 to the inlet opening 52 to the drain pump40.

Intermediate each of the radially outwardly directed portions 70, theflow diverter element 66 includes a sur face or ramp 82 inclinedupwardly from. the support plate 24 radially inwardly from the outerperiphery of the diverter element 66 for directing fluid from the lowerlevel of the sump 22 into the lower inlet opening to the cylindricalpumping chamber 56 across flow straightener v vanes 84 having one endthereof integrally formed with the inclined surface 82 and the oppositeend thereof located within the lower opening in the tubular housing 54.The pumps 38, 40 are driven by suitable drive means,

for example, a reversible electric motor 86 secured to dependinginternally threaded bosses 88 on the supporting plate 24 by means ofscrew elements 90. A rotatable shaft 92 from the motor 86 is directedupwardly through an opening 94 in housing 42, inlet opening 52 to theconvoluted pumping chamber 44, and an opening 96 formed in a flat uppersurface portion 98 of the flow diverter 66. Within the convolutedpumping chamber 44 a centrifugal impeller 100 has a central hub portionthereof secured to the rotatable shaft 92 and a plurality ofcircumferentially located curved blades 104 thereon that extendgenerally radially outwardly across the upper surface of the hub 100within the convolute pumping chamber 44 for eflecting a desired pumpingaction therein upon rotation of impeller 100.

Within chamber 56 an axial flow impeller 106 has its cylindrical centralhub portion 108 secured to the upper end of the rotatable shaft 92 bysuitable fastening means such as a screw element 110 threaded through anopening in the upper surface of the hub 108 into threaded engagementwith internal threading in the upper end of the shaft 92 to force asmall diameter lower end portion of the hub 108 against an upper bearingsurface located centrally of the centrifugal impeller 100. A suitablelock nut 112 preferably is interposed between impeller 106 and screwelement 110. The hub 108 has a plurality of axially extending helical orscrew blades 114 secured on the outer periphery thereof so that theradially outer edges thereof are in close proximity to the inner surfaceof the tubular housing 54 for effecting a desired pumping action withinpumping chamber 56.

The illustrated embodiment of the pumping assembly 26 further includes aseal assembly 116 supported in the housing 42 of the drain pump tosealingly engage the outer periphery of the rotatable shaft 92 below thecentrifugal impeller 100 for preventing leakage of fluid exteriorly ofthe sump 22.

In the operation of the improved plural pump assembly 26, uponconditioning the electric motor 86 to rotate in a clockwise direction,the axial flow impeller 106 will displace fluid from the pumping chamber56 so as to cause washing fluid in the sump 22 to be drawn from thelower level thereof through the fingers 64 that serve to prevent theingress of large particles into the pump 38. The fluid thence flowsupwardly across the inclined surfaces 82 and between the flowstraightener vanes 84 into the open end of the housing 54, thenceupwardly through the pumping chamber 56 through the outlet opening intothe rotary fluid spray arm 30 that is driven by the pumped fluid todistribute spray against articles supported within the washingcompartment 18. During clockwise rotation of the motor 86, the curvedblades 104 on the centrifugal impeller 1150 of drain pump 40 arearranged to idle within the convoluted pumping chamber 44 withoutproducing any pumping eflect therein.

Upon conditioning the motor 86 to drive the pumps 38, 40 in acounterclockwise direction, the curved blades 104 on the centrifugalimpeller 100 will draw fluid from the sump 22, across the strainer pins80, through the tunnels 76, the inlet opening 52, the convoluted pumpingchamber 54 and thence through the drain passageway 46 to be dischargedthrough the dnain conduit 32 exteriorly of the cabinet 12. Thecounterclockise rotation of the axial flow impeller 106 will draw anywashing fluid in the rotary spray arm 30 downwardly through the tubularhousing 54 and discharge it through the lower open end thereof into thesump 22. Following this, the impeller will displace air from the rotaryspray tube and force it into the bottom of the sump 22 during the draincycle of operation. One feature of the invention is that the radiallyoutwardly directed portions 70 effectively locate the inlet to the drainpump 40 radially outwardly from the lower open end to the axial flowpumping chamber 56 and the flat surface 98 and inclined surfaces 82 ofthe flow diverter 66 will block communication between the inlet to thedistributing pump 38 and the inlet to drain pump 40 whereby only fluidin the lower radially outermost part of the sump 22 is directed into thedrain pump 40 during the drain cycle. Hence, any tendency for air frompump 38 to starve pump 46 is effectively negated.

In accordance with certain other of the principles of the presentinvention, the radially outwardly directed portions 70 of the flowdiverter 66, in addition to isolating the drain pump 40 from thedownward rush of air produced by the pump 38 during counterclockwiserotation, also serves to straighten'the turbulent fluid flow patternspresent in the lower level of the sump volume during both the washingand drain cycles of operation of the dishwashing apparatus so that fluidflow is directed from a common lower level in the bottom of the sump 22along substantialy radially inwardly directed fluid flow paths into theinlet of the wash pump 38 or the inlet to the drain pump 40 dependingupon the direction of rotation of the impeller portions thereof. Whilethe radially outwardly directed portions '70 serve as primary fluid flowstraighteners, in some cases secondary flow director vanes such as thoseillustrated at 84 may berequired to assure that the flow into the axialflow wash pump 38 will have substantially all swirl removed therefromwith the fluid flow passing along smooth radially inwardly directedpaths into the lower inlet end of the tubular housing 54 to maintain adesired maximum efficiency of operation of the pump 38.

While the improved plural pump assembly is illustrated in combinationwith a dishwashing apparatus, it will be appreciated that the improvedflow directing aspects of the invention and the arrangement of a fluidflow diverter element in combination with plural pumps to isolate theoperation of each of the pumps one from the other, while drawing fluidfrom a common sump level, may have utility in other types of cleaningdevices or the like.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a dishwashing apparatus the combination of, Washing fluiddistributing means, means including a bottom member forming a fluidcontaining sump volume for receiving fluid from said distributing means,first pump means for supplying fluid to said distributing means, secondpump means for draining fluid from said sump volume, motor meansreversible to drive said pump means in opposite directions of rotationfor causing them to alternately pump fluid from said sump volume,diverter means for directing fluid from the lowest level in said sumpvolume across said bottom member to an inlet to each of said pump means,said diverter means including a plurality of circumferentially locatedradially outwardly directed conduit portions each having spaced apartside walls supported on said bottom member, said first pump meansincluding a tubular pump housing supported by said conduit portions,means interconnecting said pump housing to said conduit portions andsaid conduit means to said bottom member, said conduit portionsextending radially outwardly of said pump housing and including inletmeans formed in part by said side walls directly communicating with thesump volume at said bottom member and outlet means located radiallyinwardly of said inlet means communicating with the inlet to said secondpump means, said diverter means further including an upwardly inclinedramp intermediate spaced apart ones of said side walls of said tubularportions, said side walls of said conduit means defining with saidbottom member an inlet passageway across said bottom member to saidramp, said ramp having a radially outer edge portion engaging saidbottom member for directing fluid from said inlet passageway across saidbottom member at the lowest 6 level of said sump volume into the inletofsaid first pump means whereby said first pump means during a washingcycle of operation serves to comminute particles collected on saidbottom member prior to the washing cycle of operation.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said first pump means being operativeupon a predetermined rotation thereof to draw air from the fluiddistributing means and discharge air through the first pump means inlet,means interconnecting the radial inner edges of said upwardly inclinedramps and said circumferentially located conduit means for blocking theinlet end of said first pump means from the inlet of said second pumpmeans to prevent the air flow through said first pump means inlet fromblocking fluid flow into said second pump means inlet during apredetermined drain cycle of operation.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said pump housing being a general-1ycylindrical member supported by said plurality of conduit means andincluding an upper open end and a lower open end, an axial flow impellersupported within said cylindrical housing for pumping fluid from saidlower open end upwardly thereof through said upper open end into saidwashing fluid distributing means, said conduit means having a radiallyoutwardly located end spaced radially outwardly of said pump housingconstituting the sole means at this radially outermost location forstraightening fluid flow adjacent and across said bottom member to causeit to flow radially inwardly both to said first pump means inlet and tosaid second pump means inlet.

4. In the combination of claim 3, said cylindrical pump housing havingflange portions on the lower end thereof directed radially outwardly ofsaid cylindrical housing, each of said flange portions having aplurality of depending fingers thereon with an end portion thereofsupported immediately adjacent said bottom member, said plurality offingers cooperating with one another to strain fluid passing across saidbottom member thence to and upwardly across said upwardly inclined rampsfor straining predetermined large particles from the pumped fluid priorto the passage thereof into the lower open end of said cylindricalhousing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,916,997 12/1959Terrie. 3,084,701 4/1963 Hardy et a1. 1033 EVERETT W. KIRBY, PrimaryExaminer.

1. IN A DISHWASHING APPARATUS THE COMBINATION OF, WASHING FLUIDDISTRIBUTING MEANS, MEANS INCLUDING A BOTTOM MEMBER FORMING A FLUIDCONTAINING SUMP VOLUME FOR RECEIVING FLUID FROM SAID DISTRIBUTING MEANS,FIRST PUMP MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUID TO SAID DISTRIBUTING MEANS, SECONDPUMP MEANS FOR DRAINING FLUID FROM SAID SUMP VOLUME, MOTOR MEANSREVERSIBLE TO DRIVE SAID PUMP MEANS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS OF ROTATIONFOR CAUSING THEM TO ALTERNATELY PUMP FLUID FROM SAID SUMP VOLUME,DIVERTER MEANS FOR DIRECTING FLUID FROM THE LOWEST LEVEL IN SAID SUMPVOLUME ACROSS SAID BOTTOM MEMBER TO AN INLET TO EACH OF SAID PUMP MEANS,SAID DIVERTER MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY LOCATEDRADIALLY OUTWARDLY DIRECTED CONDUIT PORTIONS EACH HAVING SPACED APARTSIDE WALLS SUPPORTED ON SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, SAID FIRST PUMP MEANSINCLUDING A TUBULAR PUMP HOUSING SUPPORTED BY SAID CONDUIT PORTIONS,MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PUMP HOUSING TO SAID CONDUIT PORTIONS ANDSAID CONDUIT MEANS TO SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, SAID CONDUIT PORTIONSEXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID PUMP HOUSING AND INCLUDING